“I will tell you this Dan, I think the best job out there is the Detroit Lions, I think they’re a Super Bowl team,’’ Dungy said.

Then Patrick said, “So if you were coming back.’’

“That’s the job I would want, I think they’re closest to the Super Bowl. You look for things, you look for a franchise quarterback in this day and age, you want to have a passing game because this game is all about passing. You want people who can rush the passer and protect the lead, Detroit has all of that.

“Then you throw in two really good tight ends, a couple of running backs who can make things happen. They’ve got everything they need and eight wins won the division this year so you’re in the right division,’’ Dungy said. “And you’ve got an owner that doesn’t meddle, he’s not going to come in and tell you play this guy cut this guy, draft this guy.

“It’s a perfect situation. If I was ever coming back it would be for that job,’’ the 58-year-old Dungy said.

The former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers has also said this week that he is not interested in returning to coaching. He’s an NFL analyst on NBC.

He also told Patrick that he’s consulted about these coaching openings although he wouldn’t say which team(s) that involves. He did say it was not the Bucs who hired Lovie Smith.

“They call and say they want consultation so you agree and you sit down,’’ Dungy said. “Then the first question is ‘Well, you wouldn’t be interested?’ I haven’t had anything serious.’’

Dungy, who is a native of Jackson, has always seemed to have a soft spot in his heart for Michigan. In the seven seasons he was head coach of the Colts, they went to the playoffs each year and won Super Bowl XLI.

After Jim Schwartz was fired on Monday, the Lions said they would conduct a thorough and expedient search. They were one of six NFL teams seeking a head coach. The Bucs landed Smith and the Houston Texans have hired Bill O’Brien this week.

The Lions would like to hire someone with NFL head coaching experience although it’s not an absolute requirement.

Jim Caldwell, the Ravens’ offensive coordinator and the head coach who succeeded Dungy in Indianapolis, was set to interview with the Lions on Friday.

Ken Whisenhunt, the San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator and former Arizona Cardinals’ head coach, is a strong candidate. The Lions can’t talk to him yet because the Chargers are in a wild-card playoff game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.